Inclinometer



Feb, 11; 1936. F. 1.. MARTIN INCLINOMETER Filed July 12;, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 11, 1936. F. MARTIN I 7 2,030,068

7 INCLINOMETER v Filed July 18, 1933 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Em Zhwentor I 311 u (Ittornegs Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention aims to provide a simple, automatically-acting means for indicating to the driver of a motor-propelled vehicle, when he is going up hill or down hill, and to indicate the amount of the declivity or rise, the device being so constructed, also, that it will admonish the.- driver of the vehicle as to what he should do respecting applying the brakes, shifting the gears, and the like.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in vertical longitudinal section, a

5 device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the dial;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal horizontalsection;

30 Fig. 5 is .a transverse section taken through the equalizer;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken through one of the gears.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided 35 a support or casing I, having a hinged lid 2. Guides 3 are mounted on the sides of the casing I. Two-part standards 4 are mounted for vertical adjustment in the guides 3. Cushions 5 are interposed between the parts of the standards 4, 40 to take up shocks and jars. Adjusting devices, such as screws 6, are threaded into foot pieces I on the bottom of the casing I, and engage the lower ends of the standards 4.

Compression springs 8 are interposed between 4.5 the upper ends of the standards 4 and brackets 9 which are secured to the sides of the casing I. On their upper ends, the standards 4 are supplied with detachable bearings I0. A first shaft II is journaled for rocking movement in the bearings 50 I0. The first shaft II extends crosswise of the vehicle whereon the device is mounted. The numeral I2 marks a bevelled gear. The bevelled gear I2 has a hub I4. The hub I4 of the bevelled gear I2 is secured to the first shaft II by means 55 of a set screw I5, or the like, for adjustment,

Pendulum weights I6 are arranged on each side of the bevelled gear I2. The upper ends of the pendulum weights I6 are connected, adjustably, by means of set screws IT, to the hub I4 of the bevelled gear I2.

A bevelled pinion I8 meshes with the bevelled gear I2. The bevelled pinion I8 is secured at I I8 to a second shaft I9, which extends longitudinally of the vehicle. The second shaft I9 is journaled in detachable bearings 20 carried by 10 pedestals 2i and 22, mounted at their lower ends on the bottom of the casing I. The pedestal 2I preferably is somewhat higher than the pedestal 22.

An equalizer 23, in the form of a circular recep- 5 tacle, is adjustably secured at I23 to the second shaft I 9, between the pedestals 2I and 22. At its top, the equalizer 23 has a removable filling plug 24. In the lower part of the equalizer 23 there is an upwardly-extended radial partition 25. 20 The partition has openings 26. A quantity of liquid 21, which may be mercury or any other liquid, is mounted in the lower part of the equalizer or receptacle 23 on opposite sides of the partition 25. 25

On the forward end of the second shaft I9 there is a hub disk 28. A translucent dial 29 abuts against the hub disk 28 and is held to the end of the second shaft I9 by a securing element, such as a screw 30. The instrument board is marked by 30 the numeral 4|. The support or casing I abuts against the forward side of the instrument board II. A cover plate I M, which may be made of glass or other suitable material, abuts against the rear side of the instrument board 4 I. The cover plate I4I isc-ontained within a shield 34. Securing elements 35 connect the margin of the shield 34, and one end of the support or casing I, with the instrument board 4 I, and, thus, the parts are held together securely but detachably, upon the instrument board. 7

The shield 34 has an upper arcuate opening 36. Adjacent to the opening 36, an index 39 is marked on the shield 34. There is a second arcuate opening 31 in the shield 34. A third arcuate opening 38 is formed in the shield 34, below the opening 31. The opening 36 is above the center of rotation of the shaft I9, and. the openings 31 and 38 are below the center of rotation of said shaft.

The dial 29 is marked with an empirical scale 40, reading in opposite directions from a zero point at the top of the dial. Within the circle described by the scale 40, the dial 29 is marked with the word Slow, shown at 4|, with the word Brakes shown at 42, with the word High shown at 43, with an abbreviation of the word Intermediate, shown at 4-4, and with the word Low, shown at 45. The markings at M, 42, 43, M. and 45 are arranged in a circle. Within this circle, the face of the dial 29 is supplied. with a red sector 46. The red sector 46 is disposed adjacent to the word Slow shown at M, and the word Brakes shown at 42. The face of the dial 29 has a blue sector 4?, disposed adjacent to the Word Low shown at 45, and to the intermediate abbreviation 4%. Between the sectors 46 and 41 is a small white sector 48, disposed adjacent to the word High shown at 43. Although the colors red, blue and white have been mentioned, it is to be understood that any desired colors may be used.

In order to illuminate the dial 29, an electric lamp 49 is mounted on the upper end of the pedestal 2i. For the further illumination of the dial, and to avoid shadows, another electric lamp 59 may be mounted on the lower part of the said pedestal. In general, however, the dial 29 may be illuminated in any desired way.

In practical operation, when the vehicle is ascending a hill or descending a grade, the pendulum weights l6 impart rotation to the shaft I! and to the gear wheel l2. The gear wheel 12, meshing with the pinion l8, rotates the shaft [9, and the shaft l9 rotates the dial 29. As the dial 29 is rotated, the scale 40 on the dial, cooperating with the index 39, shows the driver of the vehicle that he is on a grade, either up hill or down hill, and indicates also, the gradient. So long as the vehicle is running on the level, the white sector 48 of the dial 29 shows through the opening 3'5 in the shield 34, the High marking 43 shows through the opening 38, and the driver, thus, is admonished that there is no occasion here to shift gears or to apply the brakes. When, however, the vehicle starts to go down hill, the red sector 46 on the dial 29 appears through the opening 31, and the driver is advised that there is good ground for exercising caution in the manipulation of his vehicle. As the vehicle goes down hill, the markings shown at 4! and 42 appear at the opening 38, and the driver thus is informed that he must go slowly, and apply the brakes.

When the vehicle goes up hill, the blue sector 4? on the dial 29 appears at the opening 31, in place of the white sector 43, and the driver knows that his vehicle is on an incline. At the same time, the intermediate gear marking 44,'or the low gear marking 45, replaces the high gear marking 43 at the opening 38, and the driver knows what action he should take, respecting the shifting of his gears.

The part 23 is called an equalizer, because it tends to cause the device to work evenly. When rotation is imparted to the shaft I9, the liquid 2'! in the equalizer 23 is carried to the left or to the right in Fig. 5 of the drawings, thereby to offset the movement of the bevelled gear I2, but the liquid gradually leaks through the openings 26 in the partition 25 of the equalizer 23 and assumes a level. The equalizer 23, and its contents 2'5, therefore, do not act as a continuing offsetting weight.

The zero mark on the dial 29 may be brought into coincidence with the index 39 on the shield 3t. by loosening the screw 39, and turning the dial circumferentially. By manipulating the screws 5 of Fig. 6, the standards 4 may be adjusted vertically in the bearings or guides 3, and, thus, an accurate and proper mesh between the gear members l2 and i8 may be brought about, to the end that these members may operate smoothly and without binding.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An inclinometer comprising a box-like support including sides and a bottom, guides mounted on the sides of the support, brackets mounted on the sides of the support, above the guides, standards mounted for vertical sliding adjustment in the guides, compression springs interposed between the brackets and the upper ends of the standards, adjusting devices movable in the bottom and engaging the lower ends of the standards to raise and lower them, a first shaft carried for rotation on the standards, a second shaft disposed at right angles to the first shaft and carried for rotation on the support, means for operatively connecting the shafts, gravityactuating means for operating the first shaft, and indicating means carried by the second shaft.

2. An inclinometer comprising a box-like support including sides and a bottom, guides mounted on the sides of the support, brackets mounted on the sides of the supports, two part standards mounted for vertical sliding adjustment in the guides, cushions interposed between the inner ends of the parts of the standards, compression springs interposed between the brackets at the upper ends of the standards, adjusting devices movable in the support and engaging the lower parts of the standards, to raise and lower the standards, a first shaft cai ried for rotation on the standards, a second shaft disposed at right angles to the first shaft and carried for rotation on the support, intermeshing bevelled gears connecting the shafts, gravity-actuating means for operating the first shaft, and indicating means carried by the second shaft.

3. An inclinometer comprising a support including sides and a bottom, guides mounted on the sides, standards vertically adjustable in the guides, brackets mounted on the sides above the standards, compression springs interposed between the brackets and the standards, means carried by the bottom for raising and lowering the standards, a first shaft mounted to rotate on the standards, a second shaft arranged at right angles to the first shaft, means for connecting the shafts operatively, spaced pedestals mounted on the bottom, and wherein the second shaft is journaled, an equalizer secured to the second shaft and located between the standards, and indicating means on the second shaft, to the rear of the rear pedestal.

FLOYD LEONARD MARTIN. 

